How to make a Dual PSU setup?

[Mr.Nosmo]

How can you make a Dual PSU setup so they share the load 50/50 - In my case 2x PCP&C-1200W?

I have read this http://www.burningissues.net/how_to/power/psu.htm but it only shows how to take the +12V from the second PSU and as far as I know, you need to put a load on all rails for a modern PSU to work optimal, so how can you connect two PSU's - Is it as simple as just to connect the two (24-pin ATX-PowerConnectores (reverse Y-splitter) or is it much more complicated? If it's more complicated than just the reverse Y-splitter, how can it be done?

[pirateghost]

Why on EARTH would you ever need 2x1200 watt power supplies????

[Mr.Nosmo]

For my new XF-Machine (XtremeFolder):
ASUS P6T6 WS Revolution Motherboard
Intel Core i7-965 CPU
6GB DDR3-1600
6x GTX-280 (SingleSlot WaterCooled)

I can modify my SuperMicro ServerCase to take 2x PCP&C-1200 PSU's where the HD-bay's are and make space in the top for a GTX480 Radiator. 6x GTX280's use about 1500W/125A, so I need around 1800W total.

[Derk]

As far as I know the power of the GTX 280 comes from the two PCI-E power plugs and not from the 24-pin ATX. So you can just put 3 GTX 280's on each one and put your ATX plug on one and your CPU on the other. But you should get a killawatt and balance it.

BTW: Please tell us if this 6 x GTX 280 works out, very interesting.

[mpilchfamily]

The 2nd PSU doesn't need a load on it. All PSU have a dummy load built in so all you need to do is tie in the green and one of the black wires from the 24pin connector of one unit to the same wires on the other. This way when you turn the system on both PSUs come on at the same time. You may be able to find an adapter for that.

Other options include the FSP Booster PSUs which are PSUs that sit in a 5.25" bay and can power 2 video cards.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817104054

A PSU like the one in the below mentioned link can handle 4 GTX280s.
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...=Story&reid=90

[STEvil]

The 2nd PSU doesn't need a load on it. All PSU have a dummy load built in so all you need to do is tie in the green and one of the black wires from the 24pin connector of one unit to the same wires on the other. This way when you turn the system on both PSUs come on at the same time. You may be able to find an adapter for that.

Other options include the FSP Booster PSUs which are PSUs that sit in a 5.25" bay and can power 2 video cards.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817104054

A PSU like the one in the below mentioned link can handle 4 GTX280s.
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...=Story&reid=90

No, not all PSU's have a "dummy load" built in, in fact so many do not that you have given extremely poor information which could lead to failure of a unit and possibly external damage including but not limited to the rest of the system attached and even the house and life of the individual in question if sparks came out causing a fire.

Attach the system and two 280GTX's to one PSU>

Attach the remainder of the 280GTX's to the second PSU. You will probably need to modify the connectors..

Go to an electronics shop and get some resistors with heatsinks attached. Put them on the +5v and +3.3v rail with a total of about 20 watts of load on each rail.

[Serpentarius]

sound dangerous .. why don't you get a even larger PSU wattage?
not just cracking the PSU voids the warranty ... and working with electric at that wattage is really dangerous (careful of that capacitor)
.. should ask an electrician to assist

[STEvil]

Dont need to open it with what I have suggested.

[Mr.Nosmo]

Thanks for the info STEvil ! Why not attach the Pri. PSU to the system & 3x GPU's and Sec. PSU to the last 3x GPU's? - Will a SATA HD and a DVD-Burner be OK as load for the 5V-rail?

I can do electric-work myself - I done electronics in school, 220V house-install's and 380V engine-install's before, but I haven't "played" with PSU's before......

I would be happy to use only one PSU if I could fine one, so if anybody know a 80%+ PSU that comply with "ATX 12V 2.3" and "EPS 2.91" standards and can deliver min. +3.3V/30A, +5V/30A, +5Vsb/4A, -12V/0.8A & +12V/175A (one large rail or multi-rail (7x25A, 25/75/75A, 25/50/50/50A) and don't use more space than 2x PCP&C-1200, then I'm very interested!

I was looking into these modules, but I don't know how to wire them together and if it's possible at all......:
2x http://www.unipowercorp.com/pdf/pcp-tpcp-ds.pdf
1x http://www.unipowercorp.com/pdf/pchs-tpchs-quickset.pdf
giving
2x +5Vsb/0.25A, +12V/66.7A (Dedicated to GPU's)
1x +5Vsb/0.25A, +12V/10A, -12V/3A, +5V/50A, +3.3V/70A (Model# CDFGO)
but I don't know if +12V/10A is enough for the motherboard.

The solution with the 3x UniPower-modules would be optimal for me, because then I have enough space over them to for my 2x Laing D5 pumps.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

I would be happy to use only one PSU if I could fine one, so if anybody know a 80%+ PSU that comply with "ATX 12V 2.3" and "EPS 2.91" standards and can deliver min. +3.3V/30A, +5V/30A, +5Vsb/4A, -12V/0.8A & +12V/175A (one large rail or multi-rail (7x25A, 25/75/75A, 25/50/50/50A) and don't use more space than 2x PCP&C-1200, then I'm very interested!

Not going to happen. If you do the math, 175A at 12V works out to 2100W, which is not going to run on anything less than a 220V outlet in North America. In fact, even if six of those cards needed that much power (and they won't), you still wouldn't be able to power them all off of one household 110V circuit.

Personally, I'd wager one Ultra X3 1600W would still run all that. Still not sure the six 280's are the ideal solution though.

[Mr.Nosmo]

I won't have problems with the wall sockets, because I'm in Spain and we have 220V/16A = ~3500W breakers. The GTX280 uses up to 236W and HD4870X2 up to 286W, so I'm facing 6x236W or 6x286W = 1416W or 1716W for the GPU's alone, then add 2x25W (Pumps), 4x10W (UltraKaze3000 Fans), 1x 150W (Core i7-965@4500MHz), Motherboard (~50W) & RAM (~25W) - Giving about 2000W.....

I do think about down-clocking the boards, so I can get below the magic 1750W/system and this way be able to build systems.....

[DarthBeavis]

blue: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=23350
green: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=24134
orange: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=24137
UV: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=23833

DarthBeavis not only delivers the goods but in high style Keepin the pimp hand strong . . .

[Mr.Nosmo]

Thanks "DathBeavis" for the links - I looked at this one http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=21193 but I must say your links looks much better - My only concern is that there is no "Load-Share"-logic present - Can I just link the 24-pin connectores and they share the load or do I need loads on the +3.3V & +5V rails on the 2th PSU?

[STEvil]

Thanks for the info STEvil ! Why not attach the Pri. PSU to the system & 3x GPU's and Sec. PSU to the last 3x GPU's? - Will a SATA HD and a DVD-Burner be OK as load for the 5V-rail?

I can do electric-work myself - I done electronics in school, 220V house-install's and 380V engine-install's before, but I haven't "played" with PSU's before......

I would be happy to use only one PSU if I could fine one, so if anybody know a 80%+ PSU that comply with "ATX 12V 2.3" and "EPS 2.91" standards and can deliver min. +3.3V/30A, +5V/30A, +5Vsb/4A, -12V/0.8A & +12V/175A (one large rail or multi-rail (7x25A, 25/75/75A, 25/50/50/50A) and don't use more space than 2x PCP&C-1200, then I'm very interested!

I was looking into these modules, but I don't know how to wire them together and if it's possible at all......:
2x http://www.unipowercorp.com/pdf/pcp-tpcp-ds.pdf
1x http://www.unipowercorp.com/pdf/pchs-tpchs-quickset.pdf
giving
2x +5Vsb/0.25A, +12V/66.7A (Dedicated to GPU's)
1x +5Vsb/0.25A, +12V/10A, -12V/3A, +5V/50A, +3.3V/70A (Model# CDFGO)
but I don't know if +12V/10A is enough for the motherboard.

The solution with the 3x UniPower-modules would be optimal for me, because then I have enough space over them to for my 2x Laing D5 pumps.

I suggested two on the main psu and 4 on the secondary for load balancing issues.

[HKPolice]

Any updates on this? I'm thinking about doing a dual PSU setup myself but with cheaper seasonic M12 units. I'm still not sure if a 3.3v load is required if the 5v is loaded?

[[486]]

I think that folding only supports 4 gpus per system so the 6 280's wouldn't work for that...

[ILikeCosmosS]

there is no need to create a relay
http://www.speedy3d.com/articles/cas...p3/index.shtml

i read this and well the final option is basically this http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=21193
i going to be using a dual psu because of my fan system/lighting

[[486]]

there is no need to create a relay
http://www.speedy3d.com/articles/cas...p3/index.shtml

The best option of the 3 uses a relay.

[ILikeCosmosS]

the reason why?

[[486]]

one you have to flip another switch while starting your pc, the other you have to splice wires, and that looks like crap unless you are good at wiring...

[LOUISSSSS]

why not just build 2 separate computers?

[ILikeCosmosS]

isnt that why we have that adaptor i posted? to power dual psu's?

[[486]]

Yes, but it is more expensive than a relay that can be found almost anywhere, and running the psu with no load on the 5 and 3.3 volt lines will cause it to die eventually...

[ILikeCosmosS]

what uses the 5 and 3.3 volt rails? i was thinking hard drives/ dvd drives

but it is more cleaner then a relay

[[486]]

Oh, then you won't be using the 3.3 volt rail, regardless, having no load on one rail isn't good for the power supply, I used a really nice one to power my watercooling pump overnight to get the bubbles out of the system and it died, but didn't kill my pump.